Our Second Chance
by Callie Forrester
Summary: Ephram & Amy have both had kids and are now married. They are having some problems agreeing on certain aspects of their future together. Definitely Ephramy. :


**Author's Note: **This is set around the time Amy and Ephram would be twenty four years old. Ephram is a doctor, which I know seemsweird because of how his father was never around because of his work at the hospital, but I'm hoping I can make it work for this story. Amy is a nurse at the same hosptial. Amy and Ephram are married and have kids in this story, but I think the first chapter explains that all well enough...if you have any questions or comments about the story, you can always leave me a review, which would be much appreciated!

Callie

**Chapter One**

"Caitlin! Mark!" Amy Brown yelled to her two children. The three were at a park in heart of Everwood, Colorado. They had been there for about two hours and Amy had finally hit her limit. As far as she was concerned, it was time to go home. Her two children ran obediently towards Amy, whom led the kids to her blue Jeep Cherokee and started buckling them into the backseat.

As Amy buckled Mark into his car seat, she paused for a moment to look at him. By looking at Mark Brown, you would never guess the five-year-old was not biologically Amy Brown's son. Mark and Amy shared the same blonde hair and identical chocolate brown eyes, but they did not actually share genes. Caitlin Brown looked very much related to both her mother and brother, with her perfectly matching blonde hair and chocolate brown eyes. Caitlin, however, was biologically Amy's child and not Ephram's.

After Madison had their baby, Ephram managed to convince her that he could be an amazing father for Mark and that Madison and himself did not belong together. Madison relented easily, saying that Ephram was correct, and that she did not want to be a mother. She handed their baby boy over to Ephram, whom finished college and ended up becoming a doctor at a hospital in New York. He eventually missed Colorado and moved back to Everwood. He became a doctor at the closest hospital there, about forty five minutes away.

Amy seemed to follow an almost identical path to Ephram's. She, too, had a child while still in college. Hers was a girl named Caitlin, born about two years after Mark had been. She had been impregnated by her boyfriend, Jonathan Andrews, whom she had been dating for almost a year. Jonathan quickly dumped Amy after being told that she was pregnant. Shortly after Caitlin was born, Amy finished college and moved out to California to pursue her career as a nurse. She found a good job and stayed there for about a year, until she decided it was too much for her. She missed the cold weather of Colorado and the friendly small town atmosphere of Everwood. She moved back to Everwood and applied for a job at the same hospital as Ephram worked at.

At the same time that Amy headed home with a one-year-old Caitlin, Ephram also arrived home in Everwood with a three-year-old Mark. They ran into each other by accident when visiting with Nina and Sam during Christmas time. They quickly rekindled their old relationship and fell back in love with one another. The wedding occurred in late August of that year, just after their kids' birthdays. Caitlin turned two on July 21st and Mark turned four on July 26th. Ephram adopted Caitlin and Amy adopted Mark shortly after their wedding, and then their lives felt complete. Now, nearly a year later, their kids were three and five, and their one year wedding anniversary was coming up shortly. And they were still happy.

Amy sighed happily as she buckled Caitlin in. "Alright, kids, are you hungry?" Amy asked as she climbed into the front seat and turned the car on.

"YES!" Caitlin yelled. "Hotdog!"

"Eww," Mark said, wrinkling his nose up at Caitlin. Mark turned his attention to Amy. "Mom, I hate hotdogs. _Hate_ hotdogs."

Amy stifled a laugh. As if she didn't already know he hated hotdogs. Mark didn't eat many kinds of meat. He ate turkey and that was about it when it came to meat. "Don't worry, sweetie. You don't have to eat a hotdog," Amy told Mark.

"Thanks, Mommy," Mark said as he turned his attention to looking out the window.

Amy felt a wave of love for her son. She still couldn't get over it. She had loved being a mother to Caitlin for the two years Amy had Caitlin before Amy adopted Mark, but even so, she still hadn't gotten over the idea that she was a mother of an affectionate little boy. She loved Mark just as much as she loved Caitlin and she was so grateful for both of them.

Hours later, Amy sat on a red couch in her living room, with her son and daughter asleep on either side of her. She was watching _Meet the Parents_, since both of her children were already fast asleep, and she needed something to keep her up until Ephram came home. Amy always waited up for Ephram, ever since they moved in together. They never went to bed without the other one there.

About half way through the movie, Amy heard the front door open and close, as quietly as possible. Amy kept her eyes locked on the TV, even after she felt two arms wrap around her from behind. Ephram leaned down and kissed the top of Amy's head. He let go of Amy for a minute to walk around the couch. He bent down in front of Amy and whispered to her. "Hey, sweetie," he smiled. "I'm sorry I'm so late tonight. How were our angels today?"

"Angelic. As always. Well, except for when Caitlin tried to stick a fork in the toaster. But I put an end to that immediately," Amy reassured Ephram. She tried to smile warmly at him, but Ephram could tell the smile on her face was a bit on the fake side.

"Aim…" Ephram started slowly.

"Nothing," Amy said, shaking her head.

"Aim," Ephram said in a warning tone. "Don't lie to me, I know that smile. It's not your real one. What's up, sweetie?" he asked in a concerned voice.

"Well…it's just…you've been home really late a lot lately," Amy answered.

"I know, Aim. I'm sorry. Honestly, I am. Things have been crazy at the hospital. You work there. You know how crazy it's been lately," Ephram explained.

Amy looked down. "Yeah, I know. I know. It's just—" Amy started.

"I know," Ephram said cutting her off. "I promise it'll get better soon. I miss our family dinners and all," Ephram told her. "And spending time with you," he added in a husky voice. He leaned forward and started placing kisses along her neck.

"Eph," Amy said, trying to protest his advancements. Ephram ignored her protest and kissed her harder. "Ephram," Amy said trying to be stern, even though her voice was giving her true feelings away. Ephram moved his mouth to Amy's lips and kissed her as passionately as he could manage. "EPHRAM!" Amy shrieked, as a loud giggle escaped from her mouth. "EPHRAM!" Amy yelped again, recovering quickly from her giggle fit.

"What?" Ephram asked innocently as he pulled away from her.

"Eph," Amy said in a stern voice.

"Aim," Ephram mocked Amy.

Amy sighed, giving in. "Ephram, we _at least_ have to put the kids in their own beds before we sit around and…fool around," Amy said exasperatedly.

"Okay," Ephram said happily, as he backed off from Amy. He leaned down and pulled Caitlin into his arms. "I'll put our baby girl to bed," Ephram told Amy as he stood up.

"I'll get Mark," Amy said as she leaned over to the coffee table and picked up her mug of cocoa. She brought the mug to her lips and took a sip as she watched Ephram walk out of the living room, holding Caitlin so lovingly in his arms. She smiled happily as he walked up the stairs with their daughter. Amy loved how Ephram treated Caitlin as if Caitlin was his biological daughter, just as Amy treated Mark as if he was her biological son. Amy was so thrilled and happy with their family; she just couldn't get over how incredibly lucky they were to have each other.

After putting the kids to bed, Ephram joined Amy on the couch. They snuggled up under one blanket and started _Meet the Parents _over again. After half an hour, Ephram reached forward and tucked a stray piece of Amy's hair behind her ear. He kissed her check gently. "So…Aim…I've been thinking," Ephram started.

Amy frowned. "Thinking…what?" she asked quietly.

"Thinking about us having another baby," Ephram said softly as he tried to feel out exactly how Amy was going to react. This was a sore subject that they had touched on at least a billion times since they had married and they seemed to keep coming back to it.

Amy sighed. "Ephram!" she had snapped at him, but her tone was unbelievably sad and distressed, not angry. "You know how much trouble I had with Caitlin—there were so many complications throughout the entire pregnancy and even during delivery—I mean, we're lucky she's alive and perfectly healthy."

"But Cait is healthy and alive. She's fine. And our baby would be, too," Ephram pleaded with Amy. "You'll see. Our baby is going to be healthy and everything will be fine," Ephram said, trying to reassure Amy. He reached forward and tried to rub Amy's arms comfortingly.

Amy angrily jerked her arms away from Ephram. "I told you! I've told you a million times before, I do not want to have another baby with you!" Amy yelled. As soon as this came out of her mouth, her hand flew up to her mouth, her expression frozen, showing shocked horror. "Ephram," she gasped. "That's not what I meant. It's not that I don't want to have another baby with you, it's that I don't want to have another baby. If I ever wanted to have another child, it would, of course, be with you."

"Amy, come on, we've always talked about how great having a big family would be. It's what we've both always wanted," Ephram tried to convince her.

"Yes, I admit it, I have always had a craving for a big family, but I also know I don't want to go through the dangerous pregnancy again, with all the complications and worries," Amy told him sadly. "I can't do that again, it nearly killed me last time…I mean, yes, I got Caitlin out of it, but then I met up with you again and I got you and I got Mark and—well, Ephram, I just don't need anyone else," Amy explained.

"Amy, I would be here this time. Even if it was a difficult pregnancy, which you don't even know if it will be, I'll be there to help you get through the complications and we can worry together and everything will be fine…you want another child, I know you do—" Ephram continued trying to convince his wife, but he was interrupted by Amy.

"EPHRAM! I may want another child, but I don't need another child. Why do we need another child? We have a beautiful baby girl and a beautiful baby boy," Amy argued.

"Amy, you know I love Caitlin and I know you love Mark, but I think it would be really great if we had a child that we were both biologically connected to. Come on, Amy, you know you want this too," Ephram pleaded.

Amy pulled herself off the couch. Looking directly at Ephram, Amy said meaningfully, "I'm going to bed." She stared at him for a moment, as if daring him to try talking about this subject further.

When Ephram said nothing in response, Amy headed upstairs by herself and got ready for bed alone.


End file.
